1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solar energy generating systems and, more particularly, is concerned with a solar energy generator that incorporates a plurality of unique components to more efficiently produce cost effective electricity.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to a magnified solar generator system offering improved efficiency by the use of a combination of components unique to the solar production of electricity. The system of this invention has particular utility to residential building structures where the preferred system is suited best for single family homes. Notwithstanding the preferred application, it will be understood that the system hereof is also suitable to multi-unit structures, commercial buildings and new or existing power plants, thus, the applicability of the system is quite broad.
While the known commercial and published patents reveal a number of systems for producing solar energy, none teach a system as unique as the one herein described. Examples of such published patents are set forth below.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,542, dated Mar. 26, 2002, Luo, disclosed an apparatus for converting solar energy into electrical energy and included a solar energy collecting device for collecting light energy from the sun, and a tank for holding water therein. The tank is held in place with respect to the solar energy collecting device to enable the solar energy collecting device to direct the light energy collected thereby to the tank, to increase the temperature of the tank for converting the water in the tank into steam.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,821,147, dated Oct. 26, 2010, Du Bois disclosed a portable, towable, buoyant hybrid renewable energy platform for producing and storing electrical energy using wind, water, and solar power, or a combination thereof. Included on this platform is a wind turbine that semi detaches to become a water turbine, if necessary. A small, fuel backup generator is provided for, as is a system for air portage and stabilizing the device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,212, dated Mar. 1, 2011, Benn, et al., disclosed a portable PV modular solar generator. A plurality of wheels is attached to the bottom of a rechargeable batter container. At least one rechargeable battery is contained inside the rechargeable batter container. A power conditioning panel is connected to the rechargeable battery container. At least one rechargeable battery is contained inside the rechargeable battery container. A power conditioning panel is connected to the rechargeable battery container. At least one photovoltaic panel is pivotally connected. In a preferred embodiment, the rechargeable battery container is a waterproof battery enclosure having a knife switch connection. A mast having a rotation bar is supported by the waterproof battery enclosure. At least one solar panel support brace for supporting the photovoltaic panel is attached to the rotation bar. The power conditioning panel is waterproof, is attached to the mast and has a door. When the door is opened, at least one safety switch is opened, breaking an electric circuit. The waterproof power conditioning panel has a charge controller and an inverter. The charge controller is electrically connected to at least one rechargeable battery and at least one photovoltaic panel, and is capable of receiving auxiliary power inputs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,615, dated May 10 2011, Michaud disclosed an atmospheric vortex engine. A tornado-like convective vortex is produced by admitting air at the base of a cylindrical wall via tangential entry ducts. The heat required to sustain the vortex is provided in peripheral heat exchange means located outside the cylindrical wall. The heat source for the peripheral exchange means can be waste industrial heat or warm sea water. The preferred heat exchange means is a, cross-flow wet cooling tower. The mechanical energy is produced in a plurality of turbines. The air can enter an arena via tangential entries or via an opening at the center of the arena floor. The invention can be used to produce mechanical energy, to reduce the temperature of cooled water or to produce precipitation. The invention includes a circular forced draft cooling tower that can operate in non-vortex mode or in vortex mode.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,969,133, dated Jun. 28, 2011, Zhaug, et al., disclosed a method for providing maximum power point tracking for an energy generating device using a local buck-boost converter coupled to the device. The method includes operating in a tracking mode, which includes initializing a conversion ratio for the buck-boost converter based on a previous optimum conversion ratio; a device power associated with the initialized conversion ratio is calculated. The conversion ratio is repeatedly modified and a device power associated with each of the modified conversion ratios is calculated. A current optimum conversion ratio for the buck-boost converter is identified based on the calculated device powers; the current optimum conversion ratio corresponds to one of a buck-mode, a boost mode and a buck-boost mode for the buck-boost converter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,969,735, dated Jun. 28, 2011, Nakatsu, et al, disclosed a power converter which is capable of minimizing an extent to which the power converter components other than the semiconductor module are thermally affected by the heat originating from the semiconductor module. A casing houses: semiconductor modules constituting a circuit for power conversion; a capacitor electrically connected to the main circuit drive circuits, that provide the main circuit with a drive signal used in power conversion operation; a control circuit that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to prompt the drive circuit to provide the drive signal, Within the casing, a cooling chamber, including a coolant passage is formed, and a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material. At least the semiconductor modules are housed inside the cooling chamber, and at least the capacitor and the control circuit are disposed outside the cooling chamber.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0244449 dated Sep. 30, 2010, Lee disclosed a solar-based power generator.
The system of this invention incorporates a unique combination of components not found in the foregoing prior art system. The improved efficiency of this combination will become more apparent in the following description and accompanying drawings.
While these solar energy driven systems may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described.